You'll find Workum lighthouse on the Hylperdyk at the entrance to the harbour. It's known as the Toarntsje (little tower), which is very apt for the square white brick tower.
At only nine metres tall, Workum lighthouse is not exactly a giant. It does have a long history however. The lighthouse was built around 1708, replacing the previous wooden lighthouse that dated from 1643. At that time, it comprised four oak supports, a square oak base and a steel plate carrying the fire basket. That wooden structure was replaced by a stone tower of three storeys high. A house was added in 1712. Around 1880, the open flame was replaced by an oil lantern. When the coastal lighting system was nationalised forty years later, Workum continued to maintain its own lighthouse. The tower provided income, as passing ships were obliged to pay lighthouse and beacon fees.
This revenue was used to maintain the sea locks. Once the Afsluitdijk transformed the Zuiderzee into the IJsselmeer lake, the oil lantern became obsolete in 1932. Gas lamps were installed instead. Twice-daily, the lighthouse keeper climbed a ladder up to the top of the tower to manually light the lamps. In 1984, the gas lamps were taken over by the provincial authorities. Nowadays, it uses electric lamps powered by solar cells.
The light has played an important role in the local Strontrace: a proper fire is lit on top of the tower for the first traditional sailing boat returning from this race. The Strontrace is a sailing race held annually since 1974, and an initiative by Reid de Jong. Originally a professor in Architecture, Reid is the former resident of the lighthouse. He lived here together with his wife for 50 years until 2018, completely self-supporting. In 2013, a Dutch television programme was dedicated to this very striking man and his wife.
